


Primeval Forces

by Convi



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Buffy vs. T-Rex, Gen, Riley doesn't make it, Season/Series 05, Sorry Not Sorry, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-21
Updated: 2016-06-20
Packaged: 2018-07-16 07:46:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 15,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7258762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Convi/pseuds/Convi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A spell gone wrong sends Buffy and friends back in time further than anyone would have thought possible.<br/>(Story starts following the events of Shadow)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_Many peoples across the world believe that in the beginning there was only darkness until the light was created._

_What they fail to mention is that is how the shadows were born and began to coalesce.  A separation between the light and the dark but also a place where the two could touch and linger._

 

_+++++_

 

Willow could feel the power coiled within her, a tightly wound spring looking for a suitable outlet.  She knew that if she could just find the right spell they would learn something about their new nemesis and Buffy would have one less thing to worry about.

 

They had been researching the Dagon Sphere for what felt like weeks when Willow suggested using magic to trace its origins.  The others had been hesitant to agree until Buffy’s mother had been hospitalized.  After seeing how much strain the Slayer was under everyone agreed that it would be advantageous to open other avenues of research.

 

Willow’s fingers flicked across the page.  She had translated the titles for half a dozen spells before Buffy returned from the hospital with Dawn trailing in her shadow.

 

“Anything new on the research front?”  Buffy sagged into one of the empty chairs at the table.

 

“Still a whole lot of nothing.  Sorry.”  Xander shrugged and gave her a half-hearted smile.

 

With a sigh, Buffy grabbed the closest book and began idly flipping through it, her focus obviously elsewhere.

 

“Can I help?  What are you guys researching now anyways?”  Dawn reached for the pile of books before Buffy stopped her.  

 

“Why don’t you go order up some pizza or something.”

 

Dawn rolled her eyes but went to do as her sister asked.

 

A short while later, Willow perked up, her eyes focused on the book in front of her, “Hey!  I’ve got a spell here.  It’s a spell of seeing.  It should enable us to look into the history of an object by calling on the goddess Amunet.”

 

“What do we need?”

 

“Circle, candles, and the item.  It looks like a very basic spell.”

 

The Scoobies collected candles and gathered in a circle in the training room.

 

Buffy pulled Dawn over to the table.  “You.  Stay here.  Don’t come back there.  We’ll come back to you when the spell is done.”

 

“I’m not a little kid!  You don’t have to boss me around like I can’t do anything right.”

 

The bell above the shop rang once more and Buffy sighed in exasperation, but sent a silent thank you that there would be someone to look out for her sister.  She dragged the leather clad platinum blonde over to the table.  “You.  Watch her.  Make sure she doesn’t get into anything and that she doesn’t come in the back room before we’re done.”

 

Spike rolled his eyes and scoffed  “Now why would I do that?”

 

“Because you want to remain undusty.”

 

“Sing me another one Slayer.”

 

“Fine.” She huffed in annoyance at the delay “Do you want money?  Because I can get that once we’re done here.”

 

He sneered, the sting of her recent rejection still fresh in his mind.  “Um, no!”

 

“Whatever, we can work it out later.  I don’t have time for this.  Just keep an eye on her!” She growled before stalking away. She slammed the door behind her and took a deep breath. “What do you needs us to do Wills?”  

 

“Hand me the sphere, sit in the circle with the others and light the candles.”

 

Buffy took the spot between Riley and Xander.

 

“I wonder how this will work.  Is it going to play out like a movie?  Maybe like on an IMAX?  All big screen and surround sound.”  Xander rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

 

“I really don’t care as long as we can get this sorted.  There’s enough to worry about with mom’s upcoming surgery. I don’t need another unknown hanging over my head.”

 

Willow sat inside the circle, took the Dagon Sphere in her hands, and began to settle into a trance.  “Amunet, Mother of that which is concealed...”

 

Dawn entered the training room and crouched next to her sister.  Spike trailed in right behind her.

 

“Buffy!  I was just looking at it I swear!”  Dawn’s high pitched whine caused both Xander and Buffy to flinch back.

 

Several drops of blood fell within the circle.

 

“We call upon you…” Willow continued to chant.

 

“What is going on?” Buffy hissed at her sister

 

“I cut myself on Spike’s new folding knife.” More blood slipped from her hand into the circle as she tried to show Buffy what had happened.  “I need to know where the first aid kit is.  You guys must have moved it.”

 

“Show us the past of the essence contained herein.”  Willow’s head snapped back as an outside source of power flowed to her.

 

“Dawn you need to leave.  Now.”

 

Willow, deep in her trance and drunk on the power, finished the spell.  “So mote it be.”

 

The shop around them faded to black.


	2. Chapter 2

The cold damp air leached the warmth from her body. Buffy sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes trying to clear them. “Ok, either I’ve gone blind or it’s pitch black in here.”

 

A bright flare of light appeared as Spike pulled out a cigarette and flicked his lighter open. “Are you afraid of the dark Slayer? Lots of big nasties in the dark. Though I’d really like to know how the bloody hell we wound up…wherever we are. This place doesn’t smell right.”

 

She rolled her eyes and heaved a sigh. “Is everyone alright?”

 

She recognized the responses from Xander, Anya, Riley, and Tara. “Dawn? Willow? Giles? Are you here?”

 

A low groan echoed from the other side of the cavern. “Spike, let me see your lighter.” She snatched it from him as he held it out. “What the hell happened? I told you to make sure she didn’t do anything while we were casting that spell and she definitely shouldn’t have been in there.” She used the small light that was being emitted to check and make sure everyone was ok. “Dawn?”

 

“It’s not my fault she’s a stubborn bint just like her big sis. She wanted to go and see what you were doing and I managed to stop her.” His voice dropped sullenly. “The first time at least. So she started looking around and cut herself on something she picked up. I’m not a bloody babysitter.”

 

Buffy groaned in frustration. She had found Giles and he seemed to be coming around. The low moan came again, the echoes much closer this time. Now is not the time to panic. Find Dawn, figure out where we are, and get home.

 

“Ooohhhhh, I don’t feel so good,” groaned Dawn as she woke up. “What happened?”

 

“Dawnie? Are you ok?!” Buffy rushed to the sound of her voice before inspecting

Dawn’s hand to see if it was still bleeding. “What do you think you were doing walking in on the middle of a spell like that?”

 

“It was an accident. I couldn’t remember where the first aid kit was.” Dawn’s voice came out weak in the darkness.

 

Willow approached, wiping the blood from under her nose. Her voice shook. “What happened?”

 

“That’s what I’d like to know! The spell was supposed to be harmless and just show us the past for the sphere, not send us to wherever, right?” Buffy took a relaxing breath and squared her shoulders, “We need to take a look around see where we are and try and figure out how to get back. Do either of you have a handy witchy spell that will give us some light? Spike’s instrument isn’t quite up to par.”

 

His eyes narrowed. “Watch it, Slayer.”

 

“I-I know a spell for creating a kind of night light. I just need something to enchant.” Tara spoke up haltingly. She was still hesitant to put herself forward too much even after their show of solidarity.

 

Buffy gave her an encouraging smile “Sounds great. Anything specific, or will a rock do? Because, being in a cave, we should have plenty of those.”

 

Tara nodded “Rocks should be fine. If you get a rock for everyone we can enchant them all at once.”

 

Buffy nodded and moved slowly around the cave gathering rocks. Spike followed behind, his lighter barely gave off enough light to see. She took the rocks to the witches before heading to sit by Dawn. “How are you holding up?”

 

“Still not feeling so good.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“I don’t know. I’m all lightheaded.” She gasped out. “It’s like I’ve been running all day with no breaks and nothing to eat.”

 

Buffy frowned and pulled her sister close. “We’ll be ok. We’re going to get out of this. Soon we’ll know where we are.”

 

“I know. As annoying as you are, you do pull through when it comes to your ‘sacred duty’”

 

Buffy chuckled. “Alright, obviously not feeling too bad right now if you can bring yourself to be a brat. We’ll figure this out and then go check on mom before you know it.”

 

Dawn leaned her head against her sister’s shoulder. Buffy really was the best person to have around. Nothing could get in her big sister’s way...and boy did she make sure everyone knew it. They sat like that for a while, everyone but the witches focused on the single flickering light.

 

Suddenly, the cavern lit up like it was midday. They had all managed to huddle at the far wall from the opening to what looked to be a system of caves.

 

“Oi! Warn a bloke next time, eh? Sensitive eyes here.”

 

Buffy blinked rapidly. “Shut up Spike. ” She looked down at her sister and felt her stomach drop once she finally got a good look. “How did that happen?” She grabbed Dawn’s hand. “Dawn? Dawnie!”

 

Dawn’s skin has gone incredibly pale and she was covered in a sheen of perspiration. She had fallen into a restless sleep, a constant murmuring under her breath.

 

“Willow!” Buffy’s voice rose an octave.

 

Riley walked over and put his hand on his girlfriend’s shoulder with a gentle squeeze.

Willow and Tara rushed over and paled after getting a look at Dawn.

 

“Oh goddess.”

 

“Her aura is...it...it’s bad.”

 

“What wrong?” Buffy barely got the whispered question out.

 

“I don’t know. Her entire system seems to be in shock.” Tara knelt down to take a closer look. “We need to find a way to keep her warm. She’s losing a lot of heat just lying on the ground like that.”

 

Buffy took her own coat off and laid it over her sister. “C’mon Dawnie. You’ve got to get better.” After giving her sister a quick peck on the forehead she stood up. “We need to figure out where we are and where the nearest hospital is. Standing around here isn’t going to help anyone. Willow, Riley you’re with me. Grab a couple of lights and we’ll find our way out of this cavern. The rest of you stay here and watch over her.”

 

“Oi!”

 

She took a menacing step towards Spike before he could get anything further out. “Anything happens to them I will find a slow way to kill you.”

 

Spike looked at the determination in her eye and nodded. “Alright Slayer. I’ll protect Niblet until you’re back. Go play the sodding hero and get us out of here.”

 

The trio wound their way through several small, dead end caves before finally finding an exit. They stepped out into the light. “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.” Riley’s joke fell flat.

 

Buffy looked out at the dense forest and felt panic begin to set in.

 

“Oh goddess.” Willow let out her breath as a small pod of what looked like duck-billed dinosaurs stopped barely within her line of vision.

 

“We have to find a hospital. There has to be something around here!” Buffy’s voice began to rise with an edge of hysteria in it.

 

“Um, Buffy...I don’t think we’re in the right time zone for a hospital.” Willow gently took Buffy’s arm and pointed to the dinosaurs in the distance.

 

Buffy looked at Willow, the question clear in her eyes before glancing in the direction Willow had pointed. “No, no, no! This cannot be real. It has to be some sort of immersive spell or something…I thought that sphere was man made. How can there be DINOSAURS?! Those are dinosaurs right? I mean of course they’re dinosaurs….”

 

Riley moved in front of her and rubbed his hands gently down her arms. “Just calm down. It’ll be ok.”

 

“No. It really won’t. My mom is in the hospital and has surgery scheduled for a few days from now, Dawn is sicker than I’ve ever seen her and apparently we’re surrounded by dinosaurs. Tell me what about any of that is going to be ok?” As Buffy’s voice rose emphatically the low sounds from the nearby forest stopped. 

 

He huffed in annoyance. “We’re going to figure this out, get home and everything will be fine.”

 

She turned on her heel without responding. 

 

Willow sagged against the entryway. The small spell she and Tara had just cast had taken more out of her than she realized. She shrugged her shoulders before turning to follow Riley and Buffy back inside. It was most likely the result of casting a spell so soon after the much larger one that had somehow sent them back in time.

 

As Buffy stormed back into the rearmost cavern Spike narrowed his eyes in curiosity. “What happened?”

 

Buffy took a deep breath and explained what little they’d seen as Riley and Willow caught up to her.

 

“So, we have no sodding clue where we actually are then.” Spike ground out in frustration.

 

Buffy ignored him as she knelt and took her sister’s uninjured hand. She barely registered that her coat has been turned into a pillow and that her sister was wrapped in a familiar leather duster. “Dawnie, c’mon stay with me. You can’t give up on me yet. Who else is going to tattle on me to mom that I took you on some sort of magical mystery tour? You’ve gotta be ok Dawnie.” 

 

“We’re in a forest. Buffy told you that.” Riley answered in a clipped, precise voice.

 

“Giles,” the strain came clearly through her voice “what do I do? She’s my baby sister I can’t lose her.” She looked at him with watery eyes.

 

“Well, my dear. I think for now the best we can do is try and make her comfortable. I’ll take most everyone and we’ll go and explore a bit further. I’ll leave Spike and Tara with you for now.”

 

“Exploring unknown forests…without weapons? Sounds dangerous and like it could make me dead. Why can’t I stay too?” Anya pleaded.

 

Tara went and wrapped an arm around her. “We can use your help here keeping Dawn comfortable and checking the caves here for water. We need to make sure she stays hydrated. The rest of us may wind up needing the water too.”

 

Giles, Willow, Xander, and Riley prepared to head out to get the lay of the land.


	3. Chapter 3

Xander gazed at the forest around him in wonder. Leaving the caves had been a bigger production than anticipated. Everyone had emptied their pockets after realizing Anya was completely on point about the lack of weapons.

 

Things had gotten tense for a bit when Spike pulled out his new butterfly knife. Before anyone else had registered the movement, Buffy had him pinned against the wall and refused to let him down. Tara had calmly explained that there was no enchantment on the knife which could have interacted with the spell Willow cast. Xander smiled at the memory of Buffy punching Spike in the nose for letting her sister handle the knife in the first place.

 

All told there had been three knives, a half pack of cigarettes, Spike’s lighter and flask...and two sets of handcuffs. Xander resolutely decided not to think about why Giles of all people was carrying a set of handcuffs. Particularly not after he had seen the gleam in Anya’s eye as she looked at them.

 

A branch snapping nearby brought Xander’s thoughts back to the present. 

 

Willow gave him a guilty smile and wave when he looked in her direction. “Lost in big thoughts were you?”

 

“Just worried about the Buffster.”

 

Willow nodded. “Hey! Remember when we had to do the reports on dinosaurs for Mrs. Duncan’s class?”

 

“Yeah, you dressed up like a Stegoceras because they had just discovered one up near Big Sur. I thought you’d messed up your Stegosaurus costume.”

 

Willow laughed, “And you dressed up as a Gargoylesaurus because you were obsessed with that show. I didn’t believe it was a real thing until you showed me your report!”

 

Riley continued making notches in every fifth tree to mark the path they took until the treeline suddenly stopped.

 

Giles pulled his glasses off and polished them with the hope that he was seeing things. “Good Lord.”

 

They had come to the edge of a cliff and below them several species of dinosaurs, duck-billed, armor plated and even ones with horns, were drinking from a large lake. 

 

A roar rang out and, before they could analyze the scene further, the dinosaurs began dispersing.

 

Riley looked at the rest, “I think we should take that as our signal to report back in.”

 

+++

 

The returning group was heard long before they appeared in the area those who had remained behind had set up as the main gathering spot. It was near the main entrance so the smoke wouldn’t be an issue. There was also a deep fissure near the back of the room that would provide them with clean drinking water.

 

Buffy looked up from the discussion she’d been having with Spike. Her fingers continued trailing through her sister’s hair. “So, any idea when we are?”

 

“Cretaceous Period.” Xander stated definitively. They had discussed the different species they had recognized on the return trip. “The dinosaurs we saw were alive during the Cretaceous Period...right before what most people consider an extinction event.”

 

“We need to figure this out. How do we get back?” Buffy stood and crossed her arms. 

 

“I saw a spell for time travel in one of the books I was using trying to find a spell to research the sphere.” Willow explained. “We’ll just have to find the ingredients...and I’ll have to remember what they are.”

 

Xander piped in “We’ve definitely travelled back in time so we need to be careful from now on. One thing we’ll need to do as much as possible is not to change the timeline. We don’t want to pull a whole Back to the Future and change everything. Of course there’s also the possibility that the past can’t be changed like in 12 Monkeys. The other thing is it tends to be bad if you go back in your own timeline. The theory is that two of the same person or exact same object can’t exist in the same place or time. They’ll cancel each other out or one will be destroyed like in Time Cop. But it shouldn’t be an issue since we’re so far back so nevermind.”

 

Buffy sighed in frustration “Ok, that’s a start. We don’t have much choice as far as changing timelines or not goes right not. Records kept by the dinosaurs were sketchy at best. We’re already here and need to get back so we do the spell.” 

 

“It’s just about dark enough so I can go hunting. I wonder if the sodding chip will react to dinosaurs. I’ll see what I can find with blood that you guys can cook post exsanguination.” Spike offered.

 

Buffy scrunched up her nose “Your Ex sang what?”

 

“He means after he feeds on its blood.” Her watcher said in a somewhat exasperated tone.

 

“Ew.” Came a chorus from the younger members in the group.

 

“It’ll be meat and blood. It’ll keep us all from starving.”

 

“Quite right Spike. I think that’s an excellent plan.”

 

“Um. Thanks Watcher. I’m off then. You’ll probably want to get that fire built back up while I’m gone. Something to cook whatever I find on.” He took off into the night.

 

Tara grabbed Anya’s arm “Let’s go find a flat rock or something to cook things on. There have to be some that will work for us in the caves here.”

 

Riley, Giles, Xander and Buffy stood up “We’re going to go get some more firewood and maybe find something to turn into a spit depending how large whatever he brings back is. Willow, please keep an eye on Dawn. Make sure she doesn’t get any worse.”

 

They decided to split into pairs as they got to the tree line. One of the light stones was left near the cave mouth as a marker for them to meet up at.

 

Buffy looked around furtively. Her senses were going haywire but she couldn’t quite put her finger on why the sensation seemed familiar. She quickly gathered a couple bundles of wood for the fire before turning around. Her attention had been so focused on whatever was following them that she bumped into Riley and dropped her load.

 

“You ok? You seem kind of nervous.” He smiled down at her fondly.

 

“There’s something out there. I don’t know what it is. It’s making my vampire sense almost tingle. Let’s head back so I can see what Giles thinks it might be.”

 

“Alright. We’ve got enough here to at least get us through the night.”

 

The headed back as Giles and Xander returned with supplies for a rudimentary spit.

 

“Good, we’re all back. I’m going to check on Dawn and then I have something I’d like to run through that big watchery brain of yours.”

 

“Of course Buffy.” Giles nodded.

 

They entered the caves and Buffy immediately went to check on her sister, noticing that her breathing had become more normal. “How’s she doing?”

 

Tara approached and rested her hand on Buffy’s shoulder. “I think she might be getting better. Her aura isn’t quite so erratic.”

 

Buffy reached up and gave the witch’s hand a light squeeze as she continued her vigil over her sister.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who know...yes, I'm aware that California was underwater at the time of the dinosaurs. It wasn't in this version of history.


	4. Chapter 4

Spike had heard the warm, pulsing blood of the rodent sized mammals. It called to him. Unfortunately, the buggers were canny and had plenty of room to run. So he instead found himself stalking a small group of dinosaurs.

 

The runt of the pack was finally falling behind. Spike bounced on his toes and began circling. His chance to strike came moments later and he pounced on its back, digging his fangs into the Hadrosaurid’s neck. The blood had barely touched his tongue before he pulled his mouth away and began trying to spit it all out. It was even worse than the cold pigswill he was regularly subjected to.

 

The dinosaur let out a loud bellow, drawing the attention of the pack. Spike quickly let out a primal roar of his own. His calculated gamble payed off and the forest fell silent other than the continued cries of his prey. He pulled his hunting knife across its throat and the silence became complete.

 

By the time he returned the rest of the group had settled in around the fire. He remained at the far edges of the room keeping a covert eye on the Slayer and her sister. As everyone else pushed the meat around, rejecting it after the first bite, he noticed her mechanically putting food in her mouth. Her entire focus was on the young girl she was watching over.

 

Everyone eventually gave up on the pretense and found a spot near the fire to lay down.

 

“You should get some sleep Slayer.”

 

“After I’m sure she’s going to be ok.”

 

Spike sat down next to her and they lapsed into a brief silence. “I had a sister. You know, back when I was human. Her name was Helen.”

 

“So you killed her, right?” There was no accusation in her voice, just a tired curiosity.

 

“Never got the chance. She was already dead.” He examined his chipped fingernail polish.

 

“I can’t sleep. She’s my sister and I need to get her home.”

 

“I know.”

 

Buffy lapsed into puzzled silence, her fingers skimming her sister’s hair, down to the leather duster. Finally, it became too oppressive. “What happened to her?”

 

He took a deep breath and gazed up at the ceiling. “She was eight, I was ten. She got really sick. Scarlet fever was pretty fatal back then. I snuck into her room every chance I got…whenever the doctor and my mum weren’t in there. They were always chasing me out so I wouldn’t get sick. I didn’t care. She was my best friend and I…” he took a deep breath, “She was gone within a week. I barely slept.”

 

“Sorry about your sister.”

 

He gave a small smile, “Let’s just focus on getting you and the bit home.”

 

They lapsed into a comfortable silence.

 

“I meant to bring it up with Giles earlier but, did you sense anything...odd while you were out hunting?”

 

“Other than dinosaurs? Not anything out of the ordinary really. Why? What did you sense?”

 

“It’s probably just my mind playing tricks on me.”

 

“And it might be our best early warning Slayer.”

 

“It felt, familiar, but not. Kind of like when I first met Kendra…and Faith.”

 

He leaned forward, a touch of excitement about him that had been dimming since the chip had gone in his head. This had the potential to be even better than the average demon. “Something ‘slayer-like’ you say? I’ll keep my senses peeled and let you know if I notice anything.”

 

“You’re the only other one who would be able to feel it. I still need to let everyone else know to keep their eyes peeled just in case.”

 

“Right then.”

 

They spent the rest of the night keeping watch.

 

+++

 

“There was a lock and the key fit.”

 

Dawn whirled around trying to pinpoint the source of the voice. The green fog and ancient forest were kind of odd but, hey, it was a dream right? She was pretty sure it had to be. The last thing she remembered was taking comfort from her sister. 

 

As she debated which way to explore first the scene shifted. Her sister and friends were performing the spell. The green fog was still present. She watched herself run in, the blood from the cut in her hand changing and blending with the fog as it fell from her pulling faster and faster until the fog itself, rather than blood, was being pulled from her. 

 

“Now is the time when the locks are forming.”

 

The scene shifted again. The same forest as before, but this time ponds were interspersed throughout. She approached the nearest one . The light reflecting off the water enchanted her and she stuck her hand in. The cut on her palm flared briefly, sending a small shock through her, and a scene was reflected in the water.

 

Hell. That’s what it had to be. Fire and brimstone, gruesome battles to the death, people covered in boiling oil, tables laden with only spoiled food, and other torments she’d only heard of while visiting churches with her friends. She could feel the heat radiating onto her hand and up her arm. She yanked her hand out. “I wonder….” She stuck her hand back in and the same scene appeared.

 

“Maybe they’re not all that bad?” She approached the next pond and stuck her uninjured hand in it. Nothing happened. She tried another using the injured hand once more.

 

Shrimp everywhere. Falling from the sky like rain, crawling along the ground like dogs on leashes being led by other shrimp. Dawn giggled before pulling her hand out and moving on.

 

Hells, paradises, worlds that looked a lot like home. Each pond led somewhere a bit different and she had barely scratched the surface.

 

Everything seemed so real and vivid. She sat down next to what looked to be an oak tree and fell asleep shrouded by omnipresent the fog. 

 

+++++

 

Tara was worried. She and Willow had cast a small incantation after they woke up to protect their current location from intrusion. However, it had exhausted Willow to the point where she was asleep again. Such a minor spell was not the sort of thing that would tire Willow out under normal circumstances. Tara wished that they were back in the Magic Box with the resources to figure out what had happened.

 

Tara attempted to do something with the leftovers to distract herself. Nothing she tried made it taste any better so she went to check on the littlest Summers. 

 

“She’s looking much better. Her aura is stable and it looks like she’s finally getting restorative sleep.”

 

Spike looked up at Tara. “Thanks luv.”

 

“We’re going to try and do a memory spell to figure out the ingredients for the spell to get home once Willow recovers.”

 

“Good, that’s...very good. Thank you for everything Tara.” Buffy’s red-rimmed eyes shone with gratitude.

 

Tara smiled at the small group and went to check on Willow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspiration for the setting of Dawn's dream taken from "The Magician's Nephew" by C.S. Lewis


	5. Chapter 5

Riley had finally convinced his girlfriend to get some sleep. Dawn was on the road to recovery and Tara’s memory spell had retrieved the list of ingredients needed for the spell to send them home. They needed to be on the lookout for gold or its ore, pink quartz, Ginkgo Biloba seeds, dragonfly wings, and an external power source of some kind.

 

Willow seemed unaffected by whatever they had done but was still not feeling one hundred percent, so Riley had taken Xander and Giles to secure the perimeter and find an alternate food source. So far they had found a small stream with what looked to be berry bushes next to it. Riley rubbed at the half-healed scabs on his arm as they grabbed a drink. Xander volunteered to be the one to try the food but from the sour look on his face, the berries were either inedible or not yet ripe.

 

A small growl interrupted their break. They all went on alert, gripping their knives. The man-sized dinosaur burst through the underbrush, claws extended to strike at Xander. 

 

The shallow scratch down Xander’s side had him choking back a cry of pain. The men circled the dinosaur, feinting and stabbing. The dinosaur, however, was quick and managed to land a few blows of its own before it ran off in search of easier prey.

 

+++++

 

Free and unbound. There was a time almost beyond memory when she had been surrounded by her sisters, whole. The oldest among them had passed on the tale for as long as she could remember. 

 

Pain and separation. Madness surrounded her, caged her in. The hunt took on new meaning. It gave shape to this confining new world. A sharp blow. A quick death.

 

Another separation and a joining. The madness receded. She could see them now, the men who had done this to her, to both of them. Trying to control her, control them! 

 

They ran, searching for her sisters, helping others along the way and being helped in return. Fangs at her throat. Another death.

 

She could talk to the other now. The madness that had first come upon them both was gone. They had run far enough, could build their own community. Work with others who needed protection and with those who wanted to be protectors. 

 

Infiltrated and betrayed! The magic of the crystal working its way in. Sleep. Each time she awoke, the magic of the crystal was there pushing her back towards sleep.

 

A connection through time, calling to her in her slumber. A call tasted from the blood of the foe, pulling her towards wakefulness. Her sisters called to her once more and she awoke.

 

+++++

 

Buffy awoke with a start. The growls from her stomach reminded her that it had been well over a day since anyone had eaten. 

 

A quick check on her sister showed she was still asleep for now but, if the subtle movements were any indication, she should be waking up soon. Buffy smiled.

 

She walked over the rest of the group. “So, what’s the food sitch?”

 

“We haven’t found anything that looks even remotely edible yet I’m afraid.” Giles polished his glasses, wishing he had his books so he could be of more help.

 

“But we have the list for the spell right? Any chance we’ll find those things before the food issue becomes a major problemo?” Buffy tilted her head in question at the recently returned group.

 

“We were out there for a few hours and haven’t found anything remotely useable for the spell.” Riley gave his report. “But we’re going to need the food sooner rather than later particularly if we’re going to be attacked regularly.”

 

“I’ve been working on it some since they left earlier. There’s a kind of ‘pied piper’ spell.”

 

“Are you sure you should be doing a spell, Wills? You’ve been a bit worn out since we got here. Plus...wasn’t that a horde of rats? Eww!”

 

“Yes, but this one wouldn’t necessarily have to summon rats. I could have something a bit larger in mind that would feed us, like deer, and the larger size should decrease the number summoned.” Willow put on her resolve face.

 

“Nothing that could kill us though, right? Like a sabretooth tiger?”

 

“No, no. Not like that!”

 

“And you’re sure you can handle it?” Buffy tried to keep the doubt out of her voice.

 

“Maybe you should hold off until we figure out what’s going on? We can wait a little longer to eat.” Tara laid a gentle hand on Willow’s arm.

 

“You’re seriously going to let the little witch who couldn’t do this spell? Are you off your trolley? When was the last time a spell of hers actually went right?”

 

Willow sent Spike a glare. “I can do this.” She sat and began her spell before anyone could stop her, the picture of a small herd of deer firmly in her mind.

 

“Then, like a musical adept,

To blow the pipe his lips he wrinkled,

And green and blue his sharp eyes twinkled,

Like a candle-flame where salt is sprinkled;

And ere three shrill notes the pipe uttered,”

 

Anya and Xander walked in from one of the back caves chattering away at each other, distracting her as she continued. The image in her mind shifted. Trying to hold on to the quickly mutating image of the deer, she finished.

 

“You heard as if an army muttered;

And the muttering grew to a grumbling;

And the grumbling grew to a mighty rumbling;

And out of the houses the does came tumbling.”

 

Anya’s piercing shriek drowned out everyone’s initial exclamation of surprise.

 

“What in heaven’s name happened?” Giles demanded, seeing the entire room and somewhat beyond covered in a horde of sabretooth bunnies.

 

“Willow! You said no hordes of rats! No sabretooth creatures! Nothing that could hurt or kill us!” Buffy quickly ran to Dawn and scooped her up before any of the creatures got to her.

 

Willow flushed guiltily, “Oops?” Blood began to trickle as her nose began to bleed and she collapsed to the floor.

 

Tara struggled to lift her lover’s form.

 

“We’re all going to die!” Anya ran out of the caves.

 

Spike started laughing. “You guys really are a piece of work. Although, I must say I appreciate something to eat.” He looked over at the mouth of the cave, “I think that spell you witches cast earlier is still holding better than anticipated too.”

 

Everyone looked over at the entrance to the caves to see the sabretooth bunnies bouncing off an invisible wall as several of them tried to get outside.

 

“I g-guess since they w-weren’t in here when we cast the original spell they don’t have the ability to leave.”

 

“Um…So, what are we going to do about the killer bunnies guys? You know, before Anya completely loses it.” Xander stepped gingerly around the hopping menaces, trying to get to Willow.

 

“Tara, do you think you could another spell like the one on the entrance to trap them in one of the empty caverns? We have enough here to keep all of us well fed for a little bit. Might as well make the best of this.” Buffy tried using her feet to shoo the bunnies away so she could get Dawn to safety.

 

“I think I can do that if we can manage to get them all in one place. It might not hold as well without Willow’s power added to it.”

 

“I think it’s safe to say she shouldn’t be doing any more spells until we figure out what’s wrong.” Buffy said decisively.

 

“All right,” Riley spoke up, taking charge to an annoyed look from Buffy. “Everyone grab a few rabbits and we’ll herd these…Ow!” He looked down to see one of the bunnies had embedded its teeth in his shoe, scraping the top of his foot. “Quickly, let’s get these in position quickly before more start attacking!”

 

Spike laughed before grabbing the rabbit off of Riley’s foot “I think I’m gonna keep you. Though I am sure there are much tastier morsels for you to sink your teeth into.”

 

About half an hour later everyone had several bite marks on their arms, lower legs, and feet. They had managed to corral all but a few of the bunnies that Spike had marked for his and, therefore, their dinner into one of the empty rooms.

 

+++++

 

She sniffed the air. Fresh blood hung heavy near the river. There was a new scent, warmer overlaying the colder that she was used to eating. 

 

The trail for the familiar scent was closer. The hunt was on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Willow's spell adapted from "The Pied Piper of Hamelin" by Robert Browning


	6. Chapter 6

In the aftermath of the mini-bunnypocalypse, Buffy and Xander brought the two unconscious girls back into the cave. Spike was busy skinning the rabbits while Anya and Tara set about cleaning everyone’s injuries as best they could.

 

Giles’ wounds were quickly tended to and he took the skinned rabbits and began to cook them.

 

Anya tilted her head to the side as she was holding Riley’s arm steady for Tara. “I didn’t know any vampire flophouses had set up in the Slayer’s backyard.”

 

“Anya…sweetie? What are you talking about?”

 

“Just look at his arm! It’s got several marks on it. Sure, some are from those creatures,” her annoyance at having to make reference to their dinner was evident even as she pointed to the marks close to Riley’s elbow, “but these here are from multiple vampire fangs. You know, some people get off on the rush of vampires feeding on them.”

 

“What?” Buffy stormed over and took a look at his arm as well before managing to choke out. “Why?”

 

Riley yanked his arm away from the two women holding it and tugged his sleeve back down. “I wanted to know why Angel and Dracula had so much power over you. Hell, even Spike has some sort of hold on you.”

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

 

“You don’t need me. They do. They need me, make me feel something I didn’t realize I was missing.”

 

“You pillock!” Giles left the rabbits by the fire. “Did you even think about what you were doing or did you simply feel the need to get yourself killed?”

 

“You sodding wanker! Do you even realize the danger you could have put her mum and sis in?”

 

“What are you talking about Spike?” Buffy turned and looked at him.

 

“Not everyone plays by the rules in those places. Some vampires just pretend and wind up either killing or turning their so-called customers.”

 

“So...oh my god.” Buffy turned away and went to her sister, an ill look on her face.

 

“If I still had my powers he would be in serious trouble!”

 

Xander had stopped listening. He had long ago learned it was better for him to tune out when the yelling started. “Anya, he loves her. Why would she need vengeance?”

 

“Do you even hear yourself Xander? He was going out to find his satisfaction elsewhere, and then he tried to blame it on her! What in that says love to you?”

 

Tara quietly moved away and tended to dinner as the fight escalated. She noticed Spike keeping a protective eye on Buffy as she once more tried to get Dawn to wake up. She smiled to herself a little as she heard him get his shots in from time to time.

 

The fighting eventually died down as Xander and Anya left for the back caves to talk things through and make up.

 

Willow still hadn’t woken up following the spell so Giles took over the remainder of the cooking so that Tara could check on her and try to pinpoint the problem.

 

“Oh they finally quieted down? I was about to mention they’re giving me a headache.” Dawn’s blue eyes looked up into worried green ones.

 

Buffy blinked and choked back a sob of relief. “You’re okay!”

 

“I had a really weird dream.”

 

“You can tell me about it later.” Buffy pulled her sister up into a hug. “You had me so worried!”

 

They settled next to the fire, waiting for dinner to be ready.

 

Buffy looked around as everyone sat down to eat, “Has anyone seen Riley?”

 

+++++

 

It took them some time to determine that Riley had left the system of caves. Buffy hadn’t yet processed what he had done and what could have happened; the relief that her sister was okay had shoved those thoughts to the side at the time.

 

A smile crossed her face at the thought that Dawn had finally woken up and seemed to be no worse for wear. It faded quickly when she realized that the entire group still in the caves only had the hunting knife to protect themselves with. She and Spike had one of the others and they all assumed Riley had taken the third. Weapons were definitely a problem they were going to have to work out once they found Riley and got back to their shelter.

 

The shadows reached out and enveloped her, dancing lightly on her skin, a subtle feather-light pressure. Her senses were overloaded with the familiar tingles running up and down her spine. Whispers just beyond her comprehension drew her in.

 

“Er, Slayer?” Spike’s voice shook her out of her thoughts.

 

“What is it Spike?” The annoyance at being disturbed clear in her voice.

 

“We are looking for your tin soldier right? We’re not on the hunt for what you asked me about last night? Because I think we’ve found them. Or, rather, they’ve found us.” Spike anxiously danced in place. He had finished the last of his cigarettes earlier in the day and the senses that screamed Slayer were in overdrive.

 

Buffy looked at him and he could have sworn the edges of her eyes faded from black to white. “Right, Riley.” Her voice was flat, unemotional.

 

The two of them set out, the shadows surging on either side of them.

 

+++++

 

Silent, deadly. The little one had been a tasty treat but the fresh scent was back. Small ones tended to be quiet, relying on stealth to keep them out of her way. This one was so noisy she had no trouble tracking it. 

 

Closer she stalked; the noises coming from this one were unfamiliar. They weren’t the normal mutterings of her prey. It didn’t matter. There was something tantalizing about a new treat.

 

She was finally upon it, her maw open wide. The prey, finally realizing the danger, turned around and emitted an unfamiliar high pitched noise. Her jaws snapped closed and she pulled, ending the noise.

 

This warmer blood was delicious. She wondered where she could find more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some lines from the episode "Into the Woods" written by Marti Noxon were used in the making of this chapter :)


	7. Chapter 7

Buffy felt as if she were walking along in a haze. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Spike’s near gleeful bounce and wolfish grin as they moved along.

 

The inky darkness of the shadows surrounding them almost gave her a severe case of the wiggins. But, with her senses extended, she could feel…family. That was the only word to describe the sense of longing and belonging that flooded through her. It was the same feeling she got when she looked at her friends and family.

 

“Any idea what’s following us?” Spike’s voice brought her thoughts back into focus.

 

“Not exactly. But it’s not causing trouble. I think it’s curious.”

 

Spike raised an eyebrow in her direction. “Wanna run that by me again?”

 

Buffy shrugged as they paused to get their bearings.

 

A piercing scream followed by a roar of triumph echoed through the forest. Deadly silence followed as they turned and set off to locate the source of the noise.

 

They came to a halt at the edge of a clearing. Buffy felt the bile and anger rising simultaneously as she took in the scene before her. The dinosaur was rising from its crouched, feeding position; its prey abandoned as it sensed the intruders.

 

“You know,” Spike remarked off-handedly, “I thought T-Rex were bigger than that.”

 

Buffy felt something primal rise up in her as she launched herself at her target; dagger clutched tightly in her fist. She dashed under it, trying to get her dagger in position to slice along its stomach before the monster got back up to full height. Its talons raked along her arm, almost causing her to lose her grip.

 

A low growl rumbled through her, the meaning clear to her. She was calling out for her sisters.

 

As Spike jumped into the fray Buffy heard the response, the promise of assistance. It reverberated all around her.

 

Their knives dug into the dinosaur’s flesh, mere flesh wounds. Several times Buffy noticed the shadows that had been following them freeze the T-Rex in place allowing her and Spike to work the knives in a little bit deeper to a previous wound, but never for long enough to make a fatal attack.

 

A short while later they had managed to land several serious but non-fatal blows to various points on the dinosaur, causing it to run off.

 

Buffy felt the shadows engulf her. A deep sense of confusion emanated from within her. A longing feeling that there had been a time when she was happy…at peace. When time didn’t mean anything and she didn’t have form but she had been loved, finished and complete. Time had been meaningless before she was torn from those now surrounding her. Buffy felt the keening, inhuman, cry of loss torn from her lips as the shadows separated once more. A vague sense that they would return when needed, the only comfort.

 

“You alright pet?” Spike limped towards her.

 

Buffy stared blankly ahead for a moment. As she lifted her eyes to the mangled corpse in front of her, an anguished sob was torn from her. “My fault. All my fault.” She didn’t know if she meant the aching sorrow of whatever was within her or the death of another person she loved.

 

Several hours passed before she composed herself enough to head back to the others. Spike was pacing the perimeter of the clearing, she could see his fingers flex towards the pocket of his coat as he started to reach for a cigarette once or twice. She gathered the form of her fallen lover to her, and Spike followed her back to the caves.

 

+++++

 

Buffy had buried Riley [G4] in an empty cave at the back of the system in which they were living and had told them all, in no uncertain terms, that no one was to leave without her or Spike present. Then she went to grab a short nap.

 

Anya looked at the pile of bunny bones. She had heard Spike’s version of the skirmish and decided there was no way she was leaving the cave without some form of weapon… superhuman bodyguard with her or not. 

 

The bones in front of her were useful, even if they did come from those horrible creatures. Back in the days when she was just Aud, she had made most of Olaf’s spears for his hunts and raids.

 

True, those had been made of metal and cord but she figured she could rig something up with what they had on hand.

 

Dawn approached. “What are you doing?”

 

“Preparing to make weapons. You shouldn’t touch them, your sister can be very scary and we don’t want you to hurt yourself again.” Anya began pulling out the long, sharp sabreteeth.

 

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Dawn moved towards the pile.

 

“No! No touching the sharp objects for you!”

 

Tara approached. “What’s going on?”

 

“She’s talking about making weapons of some kind.”

 

Tara looked at the teeth that Anya was collecting. “What kind of weapons?”

 

“I think spears would be best. We need some longer, sturdy sticks.”

 

Tara ushered Dawn off to the dwindling pile of firewood. “You go ahead and look through those.” She turned back to Anya as Xander and Giles approached. “What else do you need us to do?”

 

Several hours passed before they had anything useable. Xander and Giles had prepared the sticks that Dawn had selected. Dawn took strips of wet rabbit hide and stretched it as tightly as possible around the sticks and teeth as Anya held the two parts steady. Finally, Tara cast small spells to speed the drying and curing process so the spears would be ready by the time Buffy woke up and was prepared to head out.

 

Anya sat back and wondered if she was the only one who noticed there were no marks or scratches under all the blood Buffy had rinsed off earlier. She knew there had been a fight and Spike had specifically mentioned that Buffy had bled.

 

Something tickled at the back of her memories, something old and almost forgotten.

 

+++++

 

She finally made it back to her lair. Frustration over not getting to finish the warm meal boiled within her. She had taken several bites at the second prey…or rather the not-prey. The need to find more food whose blood didn’t run cold stirred within her as she bedded down to rest and heal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed! And now that the warnings for my story are out of the way we can get back to the other good stuff!
> 
> Yes, I lifted and modified a bit from "After Life" written by Jane Espenson for my own purposes there.


	8. Chapter 8

Willow screwed her eyes shut. She reached inside her, to the aching void where her power had been, trying to feel the normal rush of power. Barely a spark remained. The hollowness nearly crippled her. She hadn’t felt this lack of power, hadn’t known what it was, since before the Master had opened the hellmouth. The power had trickled in then, enough to allow her to cast the spell to bar Angelus from Buffy’s house and her own. It had surged into her with the spell to re-ensoul Angel and had remained ever since. Her power had become a source of comfort, something on which to base her growing confidence.

 

She pushed herself up into a seated position; the crackling from the constant fire covered the light moans that escaped her. She ached. The spell to bring them back, with all the other spells she had needed to cast since they’d arrived, must have finally caused her to find the outer limits of her abilities. A bit of rest and non-use of magic until they found the ingredients for the spell to get home should do the trick and get her back to her normal self. That was the only thing that made sense to her.

 

“…so that was the dream. Do you think I might actually have these powers? The ability to open portals? It all just felt so real. Kind of like how Buffy describes her Slayer dreams.” Dawn’s voice drifted towards Willow’s corner.

 

“Well, I suppose it is possible. Something we can look into when we get home. There must be something in my books.” Giles sounded intrigued at the possibilities. Willow could just imagine him cleaning his glasses as he thought it through.

 

“How do you know what my dreams are like?” Buffy’s voice rose at the end with suspicion.

 

“Because you leave your diaries out.” Dawn’s voice dripped with the sarcasm all teenagers seem to innately possess when explaining the obvious to their elders.

 

“You said that in your dream, you used still bodies of water to open these portals? Whoever goes out to look for the ingredients today can also look for a suitable place to try this. It could be another way to get home. But,” Buffy said firmly, “you’re staying here until I’m sure it’s safe.”

 

Willow heard Dawn’s huff of annoyance as they wandered off.

 

+++++

 

Tara watched as Buffy walked on ahead of her and Giles. She didn’t need to see the Slayer’s murky aura to realize that Buffy was near a breaking point. The stress of the past few days, weeks if Tara were being honest in her observations, topped with the revelations of Riley’s perfidy followed by his death the night before was more than enough to cause a lesser individual to break. Tara found herself once again marveling at the Slayer’s inner strength.

 

“About Riley…” Giles started.

 

“Can we not do this right now?”

 

“I just want you to know that none of it is your fault. All of his actions came from decisions he made.”

 

Tara watched the Slayer straighten just a little at the thought. She could see it wasn’t enough to alleviate the guilt Buffy obviously felt but it did her some good to hear someone say it wasn’t her fault.

 

They walked in silence again, keeping an eye out for any of the ingredients; seeds from a ginkgo biloba tree, gold, pink quartz, dragonfly wings and an external power source.

 

“Do you think Dawn could help us get home? Was her dream some sort of sign?” Buffy spoke up as the silence became oppressive.

 

“She knows about the key so we have to at least assume it’s possible.” Giles looked thoughtful before turning to Tara. “You might be able to help us with this.”

 

Giles and Buffy filled Tara in on what they knew of Dawn, her origins and the dream she’d had upon their arrival.

 

Tara lapsed into a pensive silence. She didn’t have Willow’s level of power but she could piece things together and it was becoming clear to her what exactly had gone wrong with the spell.

 

The spell they were planning to do to get home required a large power source and the key obviously was such a source. Everything that had happened to Dawn since they’d arrived made more sense now, from the weak aura to the near comatose state she had been in. It wouldn’t be right to ask Dawn deliberately to put herself at risk to get them home. But, maybe these portals she had seen in her dreams would provide a way back…something to try in case the spell didn’t work. As the group resumed their journey, Tara began trying to remember anything about dimensional portals she may have seen.

 

Tara let out a small yelp as a small shrew-like creature, a nest of which Giles had accidentally displaced, ran over the top of her foot.

 

Buffy gave a small smile after seeing that everyone was ok. “This way.” She set off once more, keeping a vigilant eye out.

 

Eventually the group found a small, stagnant pond. Tara watched a smile twitch across Buffy’s face. “Do you think this will do to check Dawnie’s story?”

 

Giles walked around it. “I think this will do nicely.” A short pause, “Do you hear that?”

 

As they stilled they heard the loud, deep buzzing sound. A quick search later and they had each caught a dragonfly to take back for use in the spell.

 

“Now we just need to make it back without running into anything dangerous.” Giles collected the wings from the three dragonflies and tucked them into his handkerchief before sticking it gently back in his pocket.

 

They turned to head back towards their home base and Tara’s thoughts wandered back to the spell that had gone awry. Dawn had obviously been the power source that had interfered with the original spell and sent them this far back, so her being drained made sense. If Dawn was the power source, that meant Willow had only been the conduit…so what was wrong with her magic?


	9. Chapter 9

Anya huffed in annoyance. They’d been standing by the pond for what felt like hours, watching Dawn dip her hand into the lake while Willow and Tara used different phrases to activate a portal. No one had explained to her exactly why Dawn needed to be involved in this. All she really knew was that these amateurs had no idea about portals or alternate dimensions, much less how to access them without complex rituals.

 

“You can’t just call up an alternate dimension out of the blue, you know. There has to be some sort of trigger for it. With vengeance demons, it’s a wish.”

 

“What do you think we’re doing?” Willow snapped.

 

“I think you’re having a little girl dip her hand in the water for no real purpose.”

 

Spike caught Anya’s eye. He smirked and shrugged his shoulders as if to say he didn’t know what they were trying to do either.

 

“We’re pretty sure Dawn has something to do with why we wound up here.” Buffy’s quiet voice broke the rising tension. She quickly brought everyone up to date on the dream that had led to them where they were now.

 

As Anya listened she realized this all sounded very familiar. “So it was the hand with the cut on it that opened the portal? No other spells, incantations or anything?”

 

Dawn nodded. “That’s right! It didn’t work when I used my other hand at all.”

 

“Well, of course it didn’t.” Anya continued trying to remember where she had seen this before.

 

“How d’you mean Ahn?” Xander asked.

 

“Well,” she began slowly, “I’ve met a key before. It was shortly after I got the vengeance demon gig. There was a group of travelers and they had a key with them. She used a little of her blood to open the door back to her home dimension when they were ready to leave. I don’t recall her using water though, just a few drops of blood.”

 

“So, what do I do?” Dawn’s face lit up with undisguised curiosity.

 

“I used to just concentrate on where I wanted to go. I’m assuming that’s what she did too since there were no words. Just a few drops of blood and the portal opened.”

 

Dawn nodded and turned back to the pond, “Spike, let me see your knife.”

 

Buffy held her hand up, stopping Spike from handing it over. “Let me.”

 

Spike raised an eyebrow before nodding and handing the knife to her.

 

“You don’t have to do this you know. We can keep working on the other way.” Buffy moved over and laid her hand on Dawn’s arm.

 

“How long will that take? What about mom? This could get us home now.” Tears were gathering in the corners of the young girl’s eyes.

 

Buffy gathered her into a tight embrace. “All right Dawnie, we can give this a try. Besides, none of us have showered in days and you smell a bit ripe.”

 

“I smell ripe?” Dawn’s voice rose in indignation. “Have you taken a whiff of yourself?”

 

“Dear lord. Children!” Giles’ voice broke into the rising sibling argument, “We’re trying to get home. Remember?”

 

Buffy turned to Anya with a small grin. “Care to come and give us a hand? You seem to know what the what is here.”

 

Anya stopped herself from hopping with glee. It had been so long since she’d properly felt like she was part of something. Sure, she hung out with Xander and his friends but this was the first time any of them had specifically asked for her advice. The thing with the ascension didn’t count. She had just happened to be in the right place at the right time to hear about it and provide information.

 

This though, was definitely something within her wheelhouse. True, the last time she had attempted to open a portal it had allowed a vampire Willow to cross through. Best not to dwell on that right now….

 

“Okay,” she crouched down next to Dawn, “just focus on where you want to go and when, and we’ll see if this works.”

 

Buffy pressed the sharp edge of the dagger into the wound it had made days earlier, reopening it.

 

Dawn hissed as she dipped the injured hand into the pool.

 

“Well, I hope you’ll all be happy hanging around with a disgusting demon.” Tara’s cousin’s voice drifted out of the pond.

 

A moving image appeared in the water. It was a scene at the Magic Box from a few weeks earlier.

 

“Excuse me. What kind?”

 

“Well, we’re close to the right time. But we’re all there already…except…where’s Spike?” Buffy peered at the action continuing before them.

 

“She got an alternate dimension.” Anya pointed out before turning her attention back to the unfolding drama.

 

“Evil is evil.” Mr. Maclay stated with authority.

 

“Well let’s narrow it down…what kind of demon suddenly wakes up the day the host turns 20?”

 

Anya smirked. That’s exactly what she had been about to ask before Spike has popped Tara on the nose.

 

“It doesn’t matter. She’s not leaving with you if she doesn’t want to.” Giles spoke up again. “I’m sure we’re more than capable of dealing with her demon if it turns out to be less than benign.”

 

“We’ve seen enough. This isn’t what we’re looking for.” Anya heard the smile and relief in Buffy’s voice.

 

Dawn pulled her hand out and the scene faded. “I wonder what that was all about. Are we ready to try again?” She looked around and everyone nodded before she dipped her hand back in.

 

“This isn’t your fault. It’s mine. And I feel like hell for what I’ve put you through. But it’s just…these girls….” Riley’s voice echoed out from the pond as Buffy’s training room materialized before them.

 

“Vampires. Killers.” Buffy’s voice shot back.

 

“They made me feel something. Something I didn’t even know I was missing until…” he continued as if he hadn’t heard her.

 

Anya seethed as the scene played out before them. She watched the Buffy in the vision, seeing the look on her face go from guilt and remorse, to shock and hurt, and finally, to rage as Riley issued his ultimatum and walked out the door. “If I still had my powers he would have been in for a world of hurt…assuming she made a wish.” Anya muttered under her breath as Dawn pulled her hand out and the scene faded.

 

Buffy stalked off to just outside the range of vision afforded by the magic lights they had brought with them. Willow, Tara and Giles hurried after her, Anya assumed to talk and reassure her.

 

“I think that’s probably enough of that for now, right Dawnster?” Xander asked, an attempt at a goofy grin plastered on his face.

 

“Just one more try. Then we’ll call it a night if it doesn’t work.” Dawn dipped her hand back in before anyone could contradict her.

 

The rest of the travellers leaned in and barely had a chance to see the scene appear before Dawn pulled back with a cry. “No, no, no….”

 

“What was it? What did she see?” Xander asked.

 

Dawn continued to muffle her sobs into her knees as Anya spoke up. “The gravestone for that dimension’s Buffy. For some time in the next 13 months….”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dialogue for the alternate dimension scenes borrowed from "Family" written by Joss Whedon and "Into the Woods" written by Marti Noxon.


	10. Chapter 10

Patting his pocket to make sure the seeds he had collected were still there, Giles wished that they were already at their cave. He needed time to process what the others had told him about the last dimension. His Slayer was dead there in the not too distant future…or the very distant future if he took into account when they currently were.

 

Buffy had raged about the scene they had witnessed between her and Riley. He wondered if things would have gone the same way for her if they hadn’t wound up here, in the past. After all, they had all seen the evidence of his perfidy before his unfortunate demise.

 

He pulled his glasses off to clean them as they continued their trek. They needed to get home; too much was happening there for them to continue being stuck here, namely the woman looking for the key for some unknown purpose. And, while they did know more about the key due to this trip, the mystery woman could be wreaking havoc unchecked while they were trying to find their way back.

 

A growl resonated from his Slayer causing them all to stop.

 

“What’s going on?” He called to the front of the group.

 

“The demons are back,” was Spike’s terse reply.

 

Giles looked around and noticed everyone else trying to see the demons in the darkness beyond their light source. “Pray tell. What demons would those be? I wasn’t aware that anyone had encountered any demons to be back.”

 

“Friends of the Slayer, near as I can tell.”

 

“Buffy?” Giles moved closer to his charge, noticing for the first time that her eyes had gone completely black.

 

A low growl built around them and Buffy was enclosed in an inky darkness that no hint escaped of the light she carried with her.

 

“Everybody get ready.” Buffy’s voice rang out from the blackness, “we have incoming.”

The group pulled into a tight circle, backs to the center, spears facing out. The two warriors patrolled their perimeter waiting for whatever Buffy had sensed to arrive.

 

Darkness surrounded them and they could no longer see.

 

+++++

 

The shadows drifted along. The longer their sister-stranger was around, the more their curiosity had grown. They didn’t recognize her, and yet she was older than most of them. Their leaders, the two eldest, had decided that they needed to learn more. They were determined to find out who this sister-stranger was and where she came from.

 

“Why are you following us?” The question came from the two legged creature housing their sister-stranger’s spirit.

 

The shadows noticed the others with her look around at each other, emitting unintelligible noises, and then back at the one who’d spoken.

 

“We need to know who you are.” The eldest of them moved closer, encircling her. “What is this shell that traps you?”

 

The Slayer’s eyes flashed as she regarded the entity surrounding her. “She is the Chosen One. They call her the Slayer.”

 

The elders considered this, trying to decipher its meaning. A whisper moved through the ranks. Something was coming.

 

The shell let out a string of unintelligible words before beginning to prowl, awaiting the incoming prey. For there was no doubt about it, whatever ‘Chosen One’ meant, she was a predator.

 

She started speaking to them once more, “The other night, you helped in that fight didn’t you? I wasn’t imagining things?”

 

“We weren’t sure we would be able to. But, yes, there may be ways we can help,” the eldest responded.

 

The Slayer nodded decisively. “Good. Help them.” She pointed to the in the direction of the other two-legged creatures.

 

Their prey broke into the light, creatures on two legs that were about the same height at the ones they were protecting, but that was where the similarities ended. The two warriors who were outside the circle of protection picked off a couple creatures to be their prey, and dived into battle. The remainder of the pack, sensing easier targets, turned towards the scent of the shadow-encircled group.

 

Several of the younger shadows broke off and began to encircle the creatures that were looking for a way through their barrier. If they could just…there, that was the way in. As their prey drew in breath, the shadows found themselves encased in a solid form. Panic flew through their shells at the foreign intrusion. Everything in the shells froze and, as the last breath shuddered out of them, the shadows escaped once more.

 

+++++

 

Buffy finally managed to find an opening and thrust her spear into the dinosaur’s chest before stepping back, her chest heaving as she drew breath.

 

When she noticed that the rest of the dinosaurs were either dead or gone, she called out, “Is everyone ok?”

 

As soon as the shadows parted, Dawn rushed to her side and embraced her.

 

“Buffy, come take a look at this.” Giles waved her over to the corpses closest to him. “And then I think you should tell me what has been going on and what just happened here.”

 

Buffy briefly ran her fingers through her sister’s hair before kissing the top of her head and releasing her. She approached the body that Giles was crouched over and looked down at it. Its facial features had shifted and it was curled up as if it had died in great pain.

 

The murmuring growls of the nearby demons called to her, telling her of their newly discovered ability to join with a host. Looking back down at the corpse, she grimaced. None of this was going to be easy to explain.

 

They resumed the journey towards their cave, and Buffy filled her watcher in on what had happened since they’d arrived. How she’d become aware of the shadows that had begun following her, and Spike’s reaction to them. Then she followed it up with what had happened in the most recent fight. “Do…do you think the powers of the Slayer might come from demons? That whatever is following me around might be some sort of, I don’t know, ancient Slayer Demon?”

 

They arrived at the caves and Giles motioned for her to sit down as he pulled his glasses off and began cleaning them. “It is possible I suppose. But there’s nothing in any of the research I’ve done to suggest that’s the case.”

 

Spike and Anya both snorted at that. “Because, as we all know, the Council of Wankers knows everything there is to know about demons.”

 

“Oh. The rumours of Slayers being part demon have been around forever. Where did you think your increased abilities came from?”

 

“Giles’ big speech just has the bit about one girl…chosen…y’know.” Buffy shrugged. The source of her power had never really concerned her before.

 

“Well,” Xander wrapped his arm around Buffy and pulled her into his embrace, “Giles said there’s nothing in the research and he is the man with the books. I’m sure we can find a logical explanation for what’s going on and that you have nothing to worry about.”

 

No one bothered to point out the fact that the simplest explanation is usually the correct one.


	11. Chapter 11

As often as she was out at night, she’d never taken much time to just look up at the stars…probably because that was a quick way to get killed. But here and now, with her friends secure behind their magic barrier and the demons playing lookout for her, she had a few moments to realize how different the night sky looked from the one she was used to seeing.

 

She knew she would be different too, by the time they got back home. She was already changing.

 

Giles hadn’t been able to give her a definite answer but she knew the truth. The very same demons that were looking out for her now were somehow related to the demon that was waking up inside her. Nothing else made sense with the way they set off her senses and the way she knew what they were saying when no one else did. She was also pretty sure her healing rate had sped up since her dream.

 

The quiet witch popped her head outside. “Dinner’s ready.”

 

“Tara…what was it like?”

 

Tara gave her a puzzled look.

 

“I mean growing up. Do you think all demons are evil?”

 

“I...I always hoped not.”

 

“I remember having a conversation with Riley last year when Oz came back to town. He insinuated something was wrong with Willow because she loved someone who is at least part demon. But Oz isn’t evil. He did everything he could to coexist with his demon and not hurt anyone. I mean, I know he attacked you but I think he was just taken off guard. He left again to protect all of us. I don’t think that’s evil. And then Anya!”

 

Buffy stood up and began pacing as she warmed to her subject, “She was a demon for over a thousand years and did all sorts of horrible things but now…I don’t know. Are you evil if you’re changing for good but not because it’s something you really wanted? Spike too. Both of them had their usual means of being evil taken away and they’re changing. Anya fell in love with Xander and tries to be good for his sake. I don’t know what’s causing Spike to change….”

 

Buffy trailed off. She had noticed Spike was changing, trying to do better, but she wasn’t ready to think too much on that yet. Thinking on that would lead to questioning herself about Angel and Riley, and neither of those were conversations she wanted to have with anyone, much less herself. She had enough on her plate.

 

Tara sat quietly as the Slayer paced back and forth during her speech. “So, this is about what you asked Mister Giles earlier.”

 

“My being not entirely human is the only thing that makes sense.” She paused for a few minutes. “So, are all demons evil?”

 

“How many not evil demons are going to be hanging around cemeteries waiting for the Slayer to come along and catch them doing not evil things?”

 

 

The past few days had been too much and Buffy felt the hysteria rise as she broke into a fit of laughter. She could remember several run-ins with Spike while she was on patrol and he was minding his own business heading back to his crypt. Sure, he hadn’t been waiting for her to catch him but, at least to herself, she couldn’t classify those acts as evil.

 

“If it makes you feel any better,” Tara continued after the giggling had subsided, “I don’t think the demons we have encountered here are evil.”

 

Buffy lay back down on the ground as she sensed their resident vampire approaching, probably drawn by her laughter. “Well, what is evil? It’s what I’m supposed to fight and if it’s not just every demon…what is it?”

 

Silence descended as the two young women looked up at the unfamiliar night sky and contemplated the question.

 

“I think,” Tara started quietly, “I think it’s a kind of ultimate greed. Greed so all-encompassing that it can’t ever see something lovely, rare, or precious without wanting to possess it and will destroy what it can’t have.”

 

Buffy found her thoughts wandering to the story Angel had told her about what Angelus had done to Drusilla prior to turning her before her musings were interrupted.

 

“I think it’s about choices made.” Spike spoke up from the mouth of the cave, “No one is inherently good or evil. Everyone capable of reason makes choices.”

 

Buffy frowned slightly, “Choices. So what happens when you can’t make choices anymore?”

 

“How do you mean, pet?”

 

“Well, you can’t eat humans anymore and Anya can’t grant vengeance wishes….”

 

“You think I can’t make choices because of a piece of sodding hardware? Now, look you, it was my choice to come to you for help. It was my choice to help you even after I realized I could bully fledges into bringing me takeaway. The only time I made a choice to not help you and your gang of Scooby snacks was when that Frankenstein’s monster told me he’d help me get this chip out. Still, I chose to come back and protect your little friends once I realized he was a lying git. And yeah, it might have been so you would be less inclined to stake me for trying to break up the band but those were all still my choices, nothing I was forced into.”

 

 

Buffy lapsed into silence, thinking about what had been said about the nature of evil and what her role really was in stopping it. If she wasn’t entirely human, was in fact a demon, what kind of hypocrite did that make her? Particularly when considering that almost all of her friends and family, save Xander and her mother, were also directly connected to the supernatural in some way.

 

Choices, Spike had said. She felt the shadows move in closer after the Spike and Tara had gone back inside. The whispering of the demon inside her was becoming clearer. The dreams of what the original slayers had been like, with their ability to build their own communities based on trust and friendship, came back to her. Those communities had been a mix of demon and human. Only the Watcher’s Council, and their use of the Cruciamentum to keep the demon suppressed, had put an end to that. Had started the Slayers down the path that she had been taught.

 

But she was already halfway to being like those early Slayers. She had built a community despite the Council and its rules, and her circle was full of individuals who had chosen to aid her cause; humans and demons working together towards a common goal.

 

She chose to embrace that aspect of herself and live to the potential she had seen in her dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tara’s thoughts on evil paraphrased from Mercedes Lackey’s "Arrow’s Fall."


	12. Chapter 12

Relief flowed through Willow as she looked at the pile in front of her. They had almost everything they needed. The only thing still missing was the power source. Soon enough, she would be home and hopefully, whatever was blocking her access to her full power would be removed. If it wasn't, she would at least have the resources to look into getting it back.

 

Buffy had left earlier with Giles, Xander, and Tara to locate a suitable power source. Willow felt a stab of jealousy course through her. She wasn’t used to being the one left behind. Ever since she had learned that she could do magic, there had been something she could contribute to the whole slaying effort. Buffy wouldn’t need her anymore if she didn’t get her powers back. 

 

The core Scoobies had almost fallen apart in the past year with starting college and not all being on the same schedule. What would happen if she no longer had anything useful to contribute? Buffy would find a new witch, maybe Tara since they seemed to be hitting it off so well here, and maybe she would become the hanger-on girlfriend.

 

Willow took a deep breath and looked at the pile of ingredients once more. They almost had everything, and things would return to normal once they got home.

 

+++++

 

The Niblet was doing her best to distract him and he knew it, but he just couldn’t focus on whatever teenage drama it was she was rambling on about now. The lack of cigarettes and alcohol was getting to him and he needed to figure out just what the Slayer was up to. She had been almost nice to him when she’d left that morning with only a vague promise that she’d dust him if he let anything happen to the chits she’d left behind. The threat had been nowhere near as serious as she normally made it.

 

What he really needed was something to fight. They hadn’t run into any of the more aggressive dinosaurs since the overgrown Boy Scout had got himself eaten by the T-Rex. Maybe he’d get lucky and he’d run across it tonight when he went on his search for a power source to get them home.

 

+++++

 

It was nearing sunset by the time the group returned home, looking rather worn. Spike was pacing restlessly by the entryway, having filled up on the blood from the conies that were cooking on the fire.

 

Buffy brought up the rear and placed a hand on Spike’s arm as the rest of the group headed in to eat. “Are you ok?”

 

“Just a bit restless luv, need to get out and see if there are any nasties about. Any luck finding a spot for the mojo?”

 

She gave him a wry look. “No luck on the power source yet. I haven’t seen anything out there worth fighting in the past day or two either.”

 

“I still need to get out. Maybe I’ll have a spot of luck.”

 

He watched as her eyes bled to black and she began a growling conversation with the shadows that had closed in around them. Still bloody strange, that was.

 

After her eyes cleared to their normal jade she nodded. “They’re going to go with you, just in case. I need to get some rest and the others will only slow you down.”

 

“I’ll be alright without the guards. It’s not like there’s anyone out there for me to run into.” He said a bit defensively.

 

She shook her head. “You’re part of the group. They’re just going to watch your back. I can’t lose anyone else.”

 

He tilted his head to the side, studying her. “Right then. I’m off.”

 

She gave him a small smile before going in to join the others for dinner.

 

+++++

 

Buffy, Willow and Dawn were standing in front of the caves. They glanced back and forth between themselves and the dark shadows moving towards them through the fog.

 

“Hey guys? What’s going on?” Dawn tried to make out the incoming shapes.

 

“I don’t know. Last thing I remember, we were lying down to sleep. Buffy took a defensive stance in front of the other two as three dinosaurs emerged from the fog. “That’s not something you see every day.”

 

The three dinosaurs stopped, each of them mirroring the position of one of the girls. Understanding that the dinosaurs were there to escort them somewhere, the girls climbed on board their respective mounts. Dawn on the Pteranodon, Willow on the Triceratops, and Buffy on the Tyrannosaurus Rex.

 

The Pteranodon took wing and the other two followed it in a direction Buffy knew they had yet to explore. As they moved along, Buffy occasionally took note of landmarks poking through the dense fog…just in case what they were seeing in the dream was the same as what was out there in reality.

 

After what seemed an interminable time, the dinosaurs came to a stop just out of reach of a multi-hued whirling vortex. A vibrant red surrounded by an inky black with a bright green flowing between the two.

 

“That’s it.” Willow’s awe was clear in her whispered tone.

 

Buffy felt the awakened demon in her perk up at the familiar feeling of family that she was becoming used to. Memories of ancient stories began to flash before her eyes, too fast for her to comprehend.

 

A murmured chant could be heard echoing around them as they dismounted. The colours separated and flowed towards the waiting dinosaurs; black to the T-Rex, green to the Pteranodon, and red to the Triceratops. 

 

Once more, the winged creature took flight, circling the other two as they began to size each other up.

 

A load roar emanated from the predator as it squared up to the giant herbivore. The triceratops pawed at the ground and charged, its horns marking furrows along the tyrannosaurs’ side as it attempted to move out of the way.

 

The circling began anew with the next attack coming from the tyrannosaurus, its jaws clamped down on the triceratops’ shoulder, tearing out a chunk.

 

The fight continued back and forth, each combatant making their mark but neither gaining the advantage. All the while, the pteranodon circled overhead.

 

When it looked as if both dinosaurs were tiring, back in their cave the three girls woke up with a start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact #1: I really wanted to use a Pterodactyl (if ever there was a story to explain where Dawn gives birth to one...) but 1-The symbolism would have been all wrong and 2-Pterodactyls were Jurassic and not Cretaceous :(
> 
> Fun fact #2: Since my awesome beta pointed it out...although remains for all three "dinosaurs" have been found in the western U.S.A. Pteranodons were actually flying reptiles, not dinosaurs. :) 
> 
> Fun fact #3: Did you know "pter" comes from a Greek word for "wing" and another common place you will most likely have seen it for that use, other than flying reptiles, is the word helicopter?


	13. Chapter 13

Spike looked pretty beat-up when he returned but seemed to have found an outlet for his energy. Since he obviously wasn’t dust, Buffy decided not to press the issue. There hadn’t been enough time to get to the power source before sunrise and she still needed to verify it was where the dream had indicated.

 

Buffy had a quick breakfast before grabbing a couple of spears and leaving for reconnaissance. After exiting the caves she took a right and followed what she had seen of the path in the dream.

She took several false turns before recognizing the stunted looking palm tree next to the headstone-shaped boulder from her dream.

 

She had to be seeing things. Or maybe she just missed her usual graveyard strolls and was attributing the shape to the rock. Either way they would be home soon and she had an incredibly strong demon to focus on taking out. 

 

Though, come to think of it, Dawn had started to unlock some of her powers as this key the demon was looking for. Maybe, with a bit more research in that direction, they could figure out what the demon wanted and they could make a deal to send her back to wherever she’d come from...or something.

 

Dawn also hadn't managed to find their own time and place but hadn't there been mention that what they were seeing was alternate dimensions? Maybe it was just a matter of practice and with more research, traveling within their own timeline would be possible.

 

Her sister had seemed hesitant to try again though. Buffy didn't know what the last portal had been but everyone who had seen it was being pretty tight-lipped about it. So, once they were back with the books, research on that front was definitely going to be in order.

 

Buffy was so lost in her thoughts that she almost missed the prickling at the back of her neck as she approached the powers she had felt in the dream. The impression of family mixed with other, nearly familiar, feelings.

 

The colours were more muted than they had been in the dream. But the vortex was centered around a depression in the ground.

 

Buffy approached it. The demon in her was on full alert and she felt the almost-recognizable sensation of it taking the front seat. Her sisters were nearby, skirting in the shadows at the edges, watching and waiting.

 

With her senses on alert, Buffy noticed another presence that had managed to slip in. She turned to see the tyrannosaurus rex she had faced off with a few days prior. She tightened her grip on the spear as she began to prowl towards her unsuspecting prey.

 

A small part of her urged caution. She was out here alone with a large predator that had managed to take out a single target before. But the larger part of her, the part that was currently in the driver’s seat, wanted the thrill of the hunt and the kill.

 

She circled, slowly closing in, looking for an opening.

 

The T-Rex straightened, nostrils flaring as it picked up her scent.

 

Now her prey was aware she was there, Buffy charged towards its flank and dug the spear in before it had a chance to turn and rip the end out of her hands.

 

Speed and agility were on her side but the dinosaur was much larger and didn’t have weapons to run out of. Once all three spears were lodged in its side, she pulled out her hunting knife. Soon, she found her opening and used the butt of a spear as a jumping off point to get up onto the dinosaur’s back. She began to use short, brutal strokes, digging the knife in at the base of the skull.

 

As the dinosaur fell, blood continued to spurt onto her before she managed to roll off.

Coming back to herself, she almost gagged at the scent and feel of blood covering her from head to toe.

 

+++++

 

“Buffy! What happened to you?” Dawn’s shrill voice caught everyone’s attention as Buffy tried to sneak over to the water source to attempt to wash off the worst of the blood.

 

“Fight with a dinosaur?” Buffy shrugged her shoulders sheepishly as she began to wash the blood off of her hands.

 

“Dear lord.” Giles voice was muffled; no doubt he was pulling his glasses off, as if cleaning them would somehow change her need for a decent shower.

 

Anya approached; eyes narrowed almost as if she were trying to remember something, and peered at Buffy closely while Buffy scrubbed away what she could. “You realize your clothes are pretty torn up right? And I can’t see any marks on you.”

 

Buffy looked down at her shirt and pants and noticed gashes in them where the T-Rex had connected. She had barely taken note of any of it at the time and there had been no pain once the fighting was over so she had forgotten about those hits. “Giles…I think this needs to be added to the research pile when we get home. But, more importantly for now, we have everything and will be ready to go once it’s dark enough.”

 

+++++

 

They made it back to the power source without incident. Buffy and Spike took the task of setting up the outer perimeter while the remaining travelers stood in a tight circle around Willow, spears gripped and ready to defend as necessary.

 

Willow knelt in the swirling vortex and laid the dragonfly wings and ginkgo seed down at its center.

 

“Through time ephemeral fly we now,

To the roots of our time we return.”

 

Next, she placed the pink quartz that Dawn had chipped from the cave wall .

 

“Time imperfect turning clear and perfect.”

 

Finally she positioned the gold cross necklace Buffy had given her over the top of it all.

 

“Our precious time be restored.”

 

Willow felt the connection through the earth, the resulting tremble, and gravitational pull. As the travelers were pulled into the portal she caught a glimpse of the flaming tails of meteors plummeting towards the Earth.

 

+++++

 

The group looked around the burnt out remains of the high school.

 

“Why are we here?”

 

“Shouldn’t we be in the Magic Box, like when we started?”

 

“Why are we in the old library?”

 

The questions and exclamations echoed through the chamber.

 

“I need to get a quick shower and get to the hospital and check on mom. Come on Dawn.”

Buffy and her sister hurriedly left, eager to make sure their mother was ok.

 

The rest of the group soon followed, ready to shower and get a meal that wasn’t going to leave them hungrier than when they started.

 

Willow stood on the hellmouth and felt a connection and pull to it, stronger than ever before. As the rest of the group departed, her hair and eyes bled to black before returning to their usual shades of red and green.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be an attempt at a fun one shot of everyone riding around on dinosaurs looking for ingredients until my muse decided that what she *really* likes doing is playing with ill-defined forces and objects on the show!
> 
> I know this is a bit of a cliffhanger but this is always where the story was meant to end. (But there is a sequel in the works to help tie up the loose ends! I'm finalizing the outline for what I want to tackle with it and hopefully it will be starting up in the near-ish future)
> 
> I post my works over at Elysian Fields but plan on archiving them over here once they're done.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who reads this!


End file.
